Textile spindle



May 31, 1927. 4azwyn? A. MEDER TEXTILE SPINDLE Filed June 20 1919 d? ATTORNEY Patented May 31, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,630,712 PATENT OFFICE'.

ARTHUR MEDER, F CARLSTADT, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 NORMA-HOFFMAN BEARINGS CORPORATION, 0F NEW YORK. N. Y., A CORPORATIONOF NEW YORK.

TEXTILE SPINDLE.

Application led .Tune 20, 1919. Serial No. 305,650.

This invention relates to textile spindles, and more particularly to cotton spinning spindles.

. It is the primary object of the present improvements to provide a textile spindle in which a relatively short live spindle7 in contrast to a long spindle heretofore used,

whereby the length of the supporting bolster may be correspondingly reduced and the spindle rotated at relatively high speeds and with a minimum of friction.

lt is a more particular object of the invention to provide a cotton spinning spindle having a relatively short bolster mounted in a suitable support on the rail, a live spindle extending within the bolster, a whirl fixed to the spindle, and improved means fon maintaining a continuous circulationof'lubricant between the spaced bearings and between the bolster and its support.-

The invention also provides an improved lubricating means for the bearings, which includes a part formed on the lower end of the live spindle and acting in the rotation iai-the spindle to force the lubricant in one direction and between the bolster and its support, and means carried by the spindle for also conducting the lubricant upwardly tothe upper ball bearing and distributing the same by the action ofJ centrifugal force upon the parts of the said bearing. A

It is also a further general object of my invention to provide a textile spindlel as above characterized, the several parts of which are coinpactly arranged and so assembled as to reduce the possibility of relative vibration to a minimum. l

1With the above and other objects in-view, the invention consists in the improved construction. combination yand relative arrangement of the several parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and subsequently incorporated in the subjoined claims.

in the accompanying drawings, wherein l have illustrated several practical embodiments of my invention and in which similar reference charac-ters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

1 Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a` live cotton spinning spindle =.constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view illustrating an alternative form of the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawing and more particularly to Figures 1 and 2 thereof, 5 designates the rail of a textile spinning machine in which the spindle bolster support 6 is mounted. As herein shown, this support includes a.v base portion 7 having a short downwardly extending tubular shank 8 which is disposed through an opening in the rail 5. This shank is exteriorly threaded to receive a clamping nut 9 whereby the bolster support is rigidly secured in position upon the rail 5. The support is also formed with an upwardly extending tubular portion 10 which is of appreciably larger internal diameter than the bore of the shank 8 to thereby provide the annular shoulder indicated at 11.

The bolster 12 which is arranged within the support 6, is formed with a reduced lower end portion 13 extending into the bore of the shank 8, said reduced portion of the bolster having an external diameter which is slightly less than the diameter of the bore to thereby provide the space indicated at 14 which receives an -oil film, as will be hereinafter more fully explained. The upper relatively large body portion ,of the bolster 12 is also spaced slightly from the inner surface of the tubular portion 10 of the support as shown at 15, with the exception of a narrow annular section 16 of the bolster Wall which is slightly increased in thickness to afford a bearing engagement of this portion of the bolster with the wall `of the tubular portion 10 of the suppnrt.

The enlarged portion 12 of the bolster which rests upon the shoulder 11 has channels or recesses 15 in its end face, which afford communication between the spaces 14 and 15.

Thespindle proper indicated at 17 extends downwardly through the upper portion of the bolster 12 and is formed with a 100 lower end section 18 .of relatively small diameter whereby an annular shoulder 19 is provided upon the spindle. Ball bearings designated generally by the numerals 20 and 21 are interposed between the upper 105 and lower ends of the reduced section 18 of the spindle and the wall of the bolster 12. Each of thesebea-rings includes inner and outer race rings 22 and 23 respectively between which the bearing balls 24 are dis- H posed and held in assembled relation within the ball retaining cage 24:. By reducing the lower end portion of the spindle, Iam enabled to provide bearings of a comparatively large size. lAn end cap 25 is fitted within the upper end of the bolster 12 and bears upon the outer race ring 23 of the upper bearing. bearing 21 is seated upon an internal annular shoulder 26 formed in the bolster 12.

These outer race rings of the two bearbelow the center line of the belt pull.

The reduced portion 18 of the spindle at its lower end terminates in the downwardly extending tapering shank 31. This shank extension gradually increases in diameter from the portion 18 of the spindle to its lower end and projects below the annular inclined or Haring section of the bore of the bolster indicated at 32 and through which the lubricant is adapted to flow downwardly and collect within the tubular shank 8 of the bolster support and within the bore of the lower section of the bolster.

The reduced lower end of the spindle is also formed with an axially extending bore 33 which opens upon the end face of the terminal extension 31 of the lspindle and at its upper end is laterally extended as shown at 34 and opens upon the periphery of the spindle at a point between the ppper bearing 20 and the end cap 25.

The lubricating oil is initially supplied to the tubular shank Spf the bplster support through a suitable feed inlet 35 extending upwardly from the base 7 of the. support, said inlet having the usual pivotally mounted closure cap or plate 36, one end of which extends over the upper belt flange on the whirl 29 to prevent the upward movement of the whirl and spindle from their operative positions.

In the operation of the improved textile spindle as above described, as the spindle is rotated at a relatively high speed, the centrifugal vforce sets up a feeding action through the duct or bore 33 so th at the oil will be drawn upwardly from the tubular lower end of the bolster and thrown outwardly through the laterall disposed upper end 34 of said bore upon tie parts of the upper bearing 20. The excess oil will flow downwardly through' The outer race ring of the lower tion of the spindle, the downwardly extending terminal portion 31 which projects below the lower bearing 2l and is submerged in the body of lubricating oil, owing to its gradually increasing diameter, counteracts.

the tendency of the oil to rise in the space 32 so that the displaced oil will enter the lower end of the duct 33 and thereby facilitate the movement of the oil u )wardly by capillary attraction through sai duct to its discharge end 34. It is desirable that the lower bearing 21 shall not run in a body of oil, and that only sufiicient oil shall be supplied to this bearing as well as to the upper bearing to insure their free and unretarded operation. Accordingly I have formed the downwardly projecting end of the spindle which extends below the bearing 21 and in to the body of oil in the manner above described, so that the space 32 will not be filled with the oil by the tendency of centrifugal force to cause the oil level to rise,l as would be the case if the peripheral face of this end of the spindle extended in parallel relation to the spindle axis. Also, the oil thrown upwardly would be retained or held in the space 32 by centrifugal force and an air space would form below the end of the spindle so that the upward movement of the oil through the bore 33 would be intermittent. In some cases such intermittent action might be desirable, and can be produced by lowering the level of the lubricating oil with respect to the lower end face of the spindle. After the oil above the extremity of the spindle has been discharged through the bore 33 upon the upper bearing, the suction or pumping action will cease until the normal level of the oil is restored by the downward flow of the distril'iutefl oil through the bearings and into the lower end of the bolster. The primary purpose, however, of the reduced lower end 31 of the spindle is to direct the oil draining through the lower bearing 21 back into the reservoir. It will be observed that this lower end of the spindle is in the forni of a truncated cone, and gradually increases in diameter to its extremity. Thus any oil which comes within the range of the spindle end and becomes attached thereto by surface attraction will naturally follow` the path prescribed by centrifugal force` caused by the increase in diameter of the conical surface, which, in this instance, will be downwardly. Therefore, by the combination of surface attraction of the oil for the steel, and the centrifugal force produced by this vsurface under rotation, as long as the force of surface attraction is lllO ' perfections, or from other causes.

A greater than the centrifuH al force, the oil film 32, when it is whipped or agitated by the spindle end rotating in the oil body. The tubular shank 8 serves as a dashpot in which the reduced lower end of the bolster oscillates and the oil film is drawn upwardly by c-apillary attraction through the recesses and into the space 15 between the upper portion of the bolster and the wall 10 of the support. This oil film SubSerV'esithe purpose of a cushion and has a stabilizing inluence upon the bolster and its spindle, counteracting the tendency of the spindle and bolster to oscillate within the support should the load upon the spindle become unbalanced, by reason of slight mechanical im- The annular peripheral portion 16.0f the bolster, effectively obviates the possibility of the lubricating oil finding its way upwardly above the bolster and between the inner surface of ythe whirl and the outer surface of the tution, the spindle is formed with an annular fiange 37 which extends between the upper endy wall of the whirl and the inner race ring of the upper bearing. The end cap is fitted within the upper end of the bolster around this flange and bears upon the outer race ring. In this case, it will be noted that the spindle extending through the bolster is of the same diameter as thev upper portion of the spindle upon which the yarn is wound. Adjacent to its lower end, th`e`spindle is provided witlran annular shoulder 38 against which the inner race ring of the lower bearing is seated. The outer race ring has a tight mechanical fit within the reduced prtion 39 of the bolster and is engaged upon the annular shoulder llO-therein in a similar manner to the mounting of the lower bearing in the form of my invention previously described. It is to be noted, however, that in this case the upper bearing is somewhat larger than the lower bearing 21. In

this modified construction, the spindle isprovided with the same means for circulating the oil between the upper and lower bearings which I have above described in detail. A i

In each embodiment of my` improved spindle as above described, it will be observed that instead of a relatively long live 'spindle and bolster therefor as is usually provided in cotton spinning spindles, and which generally extends a considerable distance below the rail 5, I have provided a relatively short bolster and bolster support together with a short live spindle. At the' same time, however, by reason of the mounting of the bolster and the system of lubricaticn, I am enabled to obtain the desired cush- A ioninrreffect which tends to maintain the spindle in a perpendicular position and counteract the tendency of the spindle and bolster to oscillate with respect to the support.

. From-the above description considered'in connection with the accompanying drawings,

it is believed that the "construction, relative arrangement of the several parts, and the manner of operation of my improved textile spindle will be fully understood. By the provision of the upper and lower ball bearings arranged above and below the center of the whirl, mounted and arranged as above explained, it is possible to utilize bearings of comparatively large size and thereby materially increase the life of the spindle. The spindle may be operated at very high speeds due to the comparatively large sizes of the'ball bearings employed and owing to the continuous circulation of lubricant between the parts of the spaced bearings, friction is reduced to a minimum. How ever, when necessary, these bearings can be readily replaced. This may be done by simply lifting the spindle 17 and the whirl, after having rst shifted the safety latch 36 out of its obstructing position, whereupon the bolster with the bearings will also be removed from thesupports 6. The dust cap can then be removed and access had to the interior of the bolster for the purpose of renewing the bearings. It will of course be apparent that the spindle and the whirl may be made in many different sizes and of course the size of the bearings will be increasedlor decreased accordingly.

I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings and above described what I believe to be very practical embodiments of my improved spindle, but it will be understood that the invention is nevertheless sus f cept-ible of many modifications, and I accordingly reserve the privilege of adopting all such legitimate changes as may be fairly vembodied within the spirit and scope of the v down into the -well having the' wall of such lower portion spaced a slight dist-ance from tween the well wall and the lower portioni of the bolster.

2. In combination, a support having a well in its lower portion to receive liquid lubricant, a bolster fitted within the support and being spaced slightly therefrom, the space communicating with the lubricant well, a spindle rotatably fitted in the bolster and having its lower end dipping in the lubricant and acting on rotation to prevent raising of the level of the lubricant and aiding the movement of the lubricant by capillary attraction into the space between the bolster and the support, and bearings between the spindle and bolster, said spindle having a duct therein opening into the oil well and above the bearings and adapted to receive lubricant when the spindle is rotated and to deliver the lubricant above the bearings.

3. In a textile spindle, a support, a bolster mounted within the support and oscillatably movable with respect thereto, a spindle rotatably mounted within the bolster, the

lower end of the bolster and the supportl being adapted to contain a lubricating oil, said spindle having means at its lower end submerged in the oil and acting in conjunction with the bolster wall during the rotation of the spindle to prevent raising of the level of lubricant within the bolster, the oil being drawn upwardly by capillary attraction between the bolster and the wall ot the support and thereby providing an oil film for the purpose of cushioning the oscillating movements ot the bolster, and a whirl lixcd to the spindle.

4. In a textile spindle, a support, a bolster mounted within the support and oscillatably movable with respect thereto, said bolster hav-ing a bore provided with a contracted portion, a spindle rotatably mounted within the bolster and having a reduced end portion projecting into the contracted portion of said bore and gradually increasing in dia1n eter to the extremity ot the spindle, said end portion of the spindle acting during the rotation of the spindle to prevent rising of the lubricant in said bore, the oil being drawn upwardly by capillary attraction between the bolster and the wall ot the support and thereby providing an oil film for the purpose of cushioning the oscillating movements ot' the bolster, and a whirl l'ixed to said spindle.

5. In a textile spindle, a support, a tubular bolster oscillatably mounted within the support, the lower end of the'bolster and the support being adapted to contain a lubricat ing oil, a spindle rotatably mounted within the bolster, upper and lower ball bearings interposed between the wall of the bolster and the spindle, spacing sleeves extending between said bearings and maintaining the same in spaced relation, said spindle extending belowl the lower bearing into the lubrieating oil and having means for automatically maintaining a circulation oi the lubrieating fluid between the upper and lower ball bearings during the rotation of the spindle, and a whirl fixed to said spindle.

6. In a textile spindle, a support, a bolster oscillatably mounted upon the support and having a reduced lower end portion, a spindle rotatably mounted in the bolster, spaced anti-friction bearings for the spindle mounted within the upper and lower ends of the relatively large upper portion ot the bolster, and said spindle terminating at its lower end in the upper end of the reduced portion of the bolster and adjacent to the lower bearing, said spindle end acting in rotation to draw the body of lubricant away from the lower bearing and to aid the movement of such lubricant by capillary attraction between the bolster and support.

7. In a textile spindle, a support, a bolster oscillatably mounted upon the support and having a reduced lower end ortion, a spindle rotatably mounted in tie bolster, anti-friction bearings for the spindle mounted within the upper and lower ends of the relatively large upper portion ot the holster, said lower end portion of the bolster adapted to contain a lubricating oil and the. spindle having a terminal portion of gradually increasing diameter projecting below the lower bearing and into the oil, said spindle also having an oil distributin' duct into which the oil is drawn by centritugal action in the rotation of the spindle for distribution to said bearings.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my' invention, I have signed my name.

ARTHUR MEDER.

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